In this episode, Tropicana Casino Skimming, Aaron and I talk about how KC boss Nick Civella used Joe Agosto to
Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal
infiltrate the Tropicana casino. I use the below actual wiretap audio to help tell the story. Nick Civella is concerned with the skimmers stealing and Civella wants a moratorium on all Tropicana skimming.
The code names are:
Carl DeLuna is Deluna
Nick Civella is Zio or uncle
Joe Agosto (Tropicana employee) is Caesar
Carl Thomas (Tropicana employee )is Mr. C
Don Shepard (Tropicana employee) is Pecoradu (Sicilian for Shepherd)
Lefty Rosenthal is Crazy
Joe Cusamano (Stardust emplyee)is Car Dealer
Tony Spilotro (Chicago Outfit member) is Little T
Diel Gustafason (Tropicana investor) is Hunter
Jack Urich (Tropicana investor) is Transmission
Joseph Agosto -Tropicana
DELUNA: So we talked for, they talked for quite a long time, you know I’m not sticking my mouth in there too much but once in a while and in the final end, Zio (uncle) asked him what do you think happens to “C”? He says well, I think that maybe you should go ahead
and declare this moratorium, go ahead and do it, uh, for whatever period of time. And Mr. Zio says well, I would be hard put if Little Joe re-, Caesar’s requesting this, to tell him not to, you know we’ll rely on Mr. “C” to tell us.
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: We asked him another question. We asked him if Tu Pecoradu (The Shepard) was capable of spotting any bad leakage.
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: He says he positively thinks so because if we used ‘im, this guy was cu noi-altri (with us) down at the big place with Crazy.
AGOSTO: (unintelligible).
DELUNA: He said we used him down there, he did a wonderful job, had him in both joints. The other one downtown.
AGOSTO: right
DELUNA: — You know had him in bo-, he said he did a good job. Yes, he is capable.
DELUNA: Uh, we pushed on him that when he gets with you, when youse two gets together, that he should try to push you, we know how busy you are in and outta town —
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: But to try to get, to meet you once a week like we been talking about, you know?
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: Someplace away, not his joint or your joint.
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: Some little coffee, someplace else. All right. Also we’ll put it in his head to put in your head
Carl “Tuffy” DeLuna
that, look forward to, let’s see if we could work out the mechanics of a safe, discreet way that Caesar and Mr. DC” could sometime in the next couple of months have a nose to nose meeting with Mr. Zio (Mr. Uncle or Nick Civella).
AGOSTO: I see.
DELUNA: Let’s start thinking about it now. Let’s say the moratorium is going to last two, three months, whatever it last us, you know?
AGOSTO: Umph.
DELUNA: Four or whatever it is. Before the end of the mor-, moratorium a month or so before the end.
AGOSTO: Umph.
DELUNA: See if we could start thinking about it right now for a safe, discreet way for Mr. “C” and Mr. Caesar to meet with uh, Zio.
AGOSTO: All right. (overlapping
DELUNA: Okay. So he’s supposed to tell you these things
AGOSTO: I like the arrangements. Tell Zio (Uncle) I wanna thank you urn, to have ah, make such decision because I think it’s a proper decision.
DELUNA: here’s another thing that he said. He said that Caesar and Pecoradu (Shepard)
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: — get along real well together. They have a nice relationship with each other and he knew, that you two guys were together.
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: Uh, that is uh, Caesar and uh, Pecoradu (Shepard).
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: And he knew of some exchange of, of dialogue between you two —
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: And one of you said that this is uh, should be uh, a fifty million dollar joint or something like that. I forgot the words.
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: And the Pecoradu (Shepard) answered yeah, but it’s got a thirty million dollar management. They’re not happy, truly happy with the management.
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: So Mr. “C” put the bum on Zio —
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: — is it possible that Caesar could see his way c...
Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal
infiltrate the Tropicana casino. I use the below actual wiretap audio to help tell the story. Nick Civella is concerned with the skimmers stealing and Civella wants a moratorium on all Tropicana skimming.
The code names are:
Carl DeLuna is Deluna
Nick Civella is Zio or uncle
Joe Agosto (Tropicana employee) is Caesar
Carl Thomas (Tropicana employee )is Mr. C
Don Shepard (Tropicana employee) is Pecoradu (Sicilian for Shepherd)
Lefty Rosenthal is Crazy
Joe Cusamano (Stardust emplyee)is Car Dealer
Tony Spilotro (Chicago Outfit member) is Little T
Diel Gustafason (Tropicana investor) is Hunter
Jack Urich (Tropicana investor) is Transmission
Joseph Agosto -Tropicana
DELUNA: So we talked for, they talked for quite a long time, you know I’m not sticking my mouth in there too much but once in a while and in the final end, Zio (uncle) asked him what do you think happens to “C”? He says well, I think that maybe you should go ahead
and declare this moratorium, go ahead and do it, uh, for whatever period of time. And Mr. Zio says well, I would be hard put if Little Joe re-, Caesar’s requesting this, to tell him not to, you know we’ll rely on Mr. “C” to tell us.
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: We asked him another question. We asked him if Tu Pecoradu (The Shepard) was capable of spotting any bad leakage.
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: He says he positively thinks so because if we used ‘im, this guy was cu noi-altri (with us) down at the big place with Crazy.
AGOSTO: (unintelligible).
DELUNA: He said we used him down there, he did a wonderful job, had him in both joints. The other one downtown.
AGOSTO: right
DELUNA: — You know had him in bo-, he said he did a good job. Yes, he is capable.
DELUNA: Uh, we pushed on him that when he gets with you, when youse two gets together, that he should try to push you, we know how busy you are in and outta town —
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: But to try to get, to meet you once a week like we been talking about, you know?
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: Someplace away, not his joint or your joint.
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: Some little coffee, someplace else. All right. Also we’ll put it in his head to put in your head
Carl “Tuffy” DeLuna
that, look forward to, let’s see if we could work out the mechanics of a safe, discreet way that Caesar and Mr. DC” could sometime in the next couple of months have a nose to nose meeting with Mr. Zio (Mr. Uncle or Nick Civella).
AGOSTO: I see.
DELUNA: Let’s start thinking about it now. Let’s say the moratorium is going to last two, three months, whatever it last us, you know?
AGOSTO: Umph.
DELUNA: Four or whatever it is. Before the end of the mor-, moratorium a month or so before the end.
AGOSTO: Umph.
DELUNA: See if we could start thinking about it right now for a safe, discreet way for Mr. “C” and Mr. Caesar to meet with uh, Zio.
AGOSTO: All right. (overlapping
DELUNA: Okay. So he’s supposed to tell you these things
AGOSTO: I like the arrangements. Tell Zio (Uncle) I wanna thank you urn, to have ah, make such decision because I think it’s a proper decision.
DELUNA: here’s another thing that he said. He said that Caesar and Pecoradu (Shepard)
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: — get along real well together. They have a nice relationship with each other and he knew, that you two guys were together.
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: Uh, that is uh, Caesar and uh, Pecoradu (Shepard).
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: And he knew of some exchange of, of dialogue between you two —
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: And one of you said that this is uh, should be uh, a fifty million dollar joint or something like that. I forgot the words.
AGOSTO: Right.
DELUNA: And the Pecoradu (Shepard) answered yeah, but it’s got a thirty million dollar management. They’re not happy, truly happy with the management.
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: So Mr. “C” put the bum on Zio —
AGOSTO: Yeah.
DELUNA: — is it possible that Caesar could see his way c...
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